Automatic grain cut-off.



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LQQS. Patented Feb.2s,1915.

3 S H E E TS*SHEET 1.

j nu" leluw t 47 @El 55 GOLD.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN GUT-OPF.

APPLIG' ATION FILED MAR.17,191S.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LYMAN G QLD,

THE MORRIS PETERS .u #Hmm z lTHn.` WASHINGION D. C4

L. GOLD.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN GUT-OFI". APPLICATION FILED 111111.17, 1913.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 31 THE NoRRls PETERS Co. P1mro-LlTHO WASHING PON. D l

v LYIVIAN GOLD, OF CHARLESTOWN, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN CUT-OFF.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lFeb. 23, 1915.

Application filed March 17,1913. SeraLNo. 754,889.

elevators, distilleries, and other buildings where gram is handled 1n measured quantities, and the object of the invention is to supply a predetermined quantity of grain, by weight, totempering machines or other receptacles, and coincidentlyfor supplying steam or water or both to said ytempering machine and to automatically cut off the steam or water supply with the cutting off of the supply of grain.

` Another object of the invention is to provide an electric alarm bell or signal which will give vwarning to the operator when the grain has ceased to iiow.

1 accomplish the above and other minor objects of the invention to be hereinafter pointed out, by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective viewfovf my complete invention in operative position to supply a measured quantity of grain to a wheat steamer. Fig'. 2 is a view in side elevation and vertical section of the invention on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a side elevation oft the grain receiving and measuring cyl'- inder as seen looking from the rear. Fig. t is a front elevation in partial section of the steam andy water valves and their connections, and Fig.l 5 is a perspective view ofthe lower end of the inner or valve cylinder which` control-s the discharge from the cylinder shown in Fig. 3. i

' Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of .the drawings.

My invention is supported by and from a frame comprising'the vertical posts 6 and horizontal members 7. Mounted upon the front upper horizontal member 7 isa standard to which a horizontal lever 8 is pivotally secured.

9 is a grain receiving cylinder' having a bail 10 with a pair of ears 11 ybetween which the lever 8 is pivotally secured, .as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the cylinder 9 'will be :sus pended Afrom thelever V8 and capable of .ver-

tical adjustment within the limits of the swinging movement of said lever. Pivotally secured to the outer end of the lever 8 is a depending rod 12 which supports weights 13. The weights 13 are removable and are varied .to counterbalance the cylinder 9 and its contents up to a predetermiied limit iXed by said counter-weights 13. j

The cylinder 9 terminates with a hoppershaped bottom 14 having a cylindrical central outlet 15. The inner walls of the hopper ,bottom 141, particularlyv atfthei-r junction at the cylindrical discharge 15, comprise the seat for a valve which is also a cylindrical body 16 located within the cylinder 9, and having a hopper-shaped bottom 17 withl a depending iange or band 18 of a diameter tomake a loose'sliding it within the cylindrical discharge 15, of the larger cylinder 9. Fixed within the smaller cylinder 16 is a cross-bar 19 to which a vertical rod 20 is adjustably secured by means of nut 21 below and nut 22 above bari19, on the screwthreaded end of the rod 2O.` The upper end of the rod 20 is fixed to a stationary crossbar 21 fastened to the undersides of the horizontal members 7 of the main Iframe of the machine. The upper end of the rod 20 is screw-threaded and receives a nut 25, below the bar 211 and a nut 26 above said bar and these "two vnuts provide means for additionally adjusting the valve-cylinder 16 in its'distance from the rod 24. Radial arms 27 carried Vby the cylinder 16, contact with the inner walls of the cylinder 9 to keep the cylinder 16 centered within the cylinder 9. The cylinder 16 is provided with a conical cap 28 to prevent the entrance of grain into the valve cylinder 16. Grain is supplied to the interior of the cylinder 9 through the pipe 29, and discharges in the manner 'shown in Fig. 2. When the cylinder `9 is empty it will be `at its maximum elevation with 'the angle betweenvparts 14 and 15 in such relation to they flange 18 of the valve 16 that no discharge Jfrom the cylinder 9 will occur. But as the -quantity of ygrain and its weight in the cylinder 9 is increased by the supply coming through the pipe 29, this weight willv overbalance the counter weight 13 "on the outer end of the lever 8 causing the loaded cylinder 9 to descend by gravity. The lowering of the cylinder -9 will cause a discharge opening to occur at its ybottom because of the fixed -condition vof the valve cylinder 16 and its .parts by its suspension from the stationary bar24, and the grain in the cylinder 9 will begin to spill out through the bottom opening thus Jformed.

rlhe lower end of the valve cylinder 16 is centered by means of a wire basket-like formation comprising a` plurality of radial wires 30 having vertical stems-31, the upper ends of which are secured to the inner side of the sleeve or band 18 (see Figs-2 and 5). This wire basket fits into the cylinder 15 and does not obstruct the discharge of grain through the latter. To keep the grain from discharging ltoo fast through the opening at the bottom of cylinder 9, andv also to obviate yany possibility of the grain clogging so as to prevent the upward return movement of the cylinder 9, I provide a curtain of heavy ducking 33 which is wrapped around the outside of the ilange 18 and is ysecured to saidv flange. A considerable width of this material extends below the limits of the flange 18, and this portion is provided with vertical slits 34 at suitable intervals to form tongues 35 which will swing inwardly under the pressure of the grain above it, allowing the grain to discharge past them. The lower ends of the tongues 35 are made pointed, as shown, to make their action additionally sensitive.

Vertical guide rods 36 fastened to the diametrically opposite walls of the cylinder 9 at front and back of .the latter are held by grooved wheels 37, a pair for each rod, mounted in vertical members 38 supported by the cross timbers 7.- An overflow of spout 39k (see, Fig. 3) communicates at its 1 upper end .with the interior of cylinder 9 to carry ofi" any excess of grain that may accidentally be supplied to the cylinder at any time. I have shown the spout 39 as provided with two connections 40 and 41, at different heights, with the interior of cylinder 9 and communication through themis regulated by sliding valves 42.

The grain discharges from cylinder 9 into 'a trough 43, and is conveyed by said trough to a tempering machine or any other suitable receiver. I have` here shown the trough 43 as discharging into a steamer 44. It is generally desirable to subject the grain to regulated quantities of water, or steam and in many cases to the action of both water and steam, and it is a part of my invention to provide means operated by the grain weighing mechanism, for supplying the required amount of moisture or steam or both to the tempering machine 44. To this end I provide a valve 45 to which water is supplied through a pipe47, and I also provide a valvev 46, preferably located close to the valve 45, to which steam is supplied to a pipe 48. The water from valve 45 discharges through pipe 49 into the steamer or tempering machine 44, as shown in Fig. 1,

and the steam is discharged from the valve 46 through the pipe 50 to the machine 44. Valves 51 in the supply pipes 47 and 48 and valves 52 in the discharge pipes 49 and 50 provide the means for cutting olf the s upply to the machine 44 through either set of pipes when desired.

Mounted in each of the valves 45 and 46 is a plunger 53, the outside upper ends of which are pivoted to a corresponding lever 54. The inner end of each lever 54 is pivoted to a bracket 55, and the outer end of each lever 54 is connected by a corresponding rod 56 with the reduced ends of a cross head 57 carried bythe lever 8, whereby, when the outer arm of the lever 8 is moved upwardly by the weight of grain in the cylinder 9 the levers 54 will be moved in like direction to lift the plungers 53 and open up communication through the valves 45 and 46 between their water and steam supply and discharge pipes, as above described. The valves 45 and 46 are mounted on a plate 58 which is supported by brackets 59 from the vertical post 6.

In order to delay the opening of the water and steam valves until after a given quantity of grain has accumulated in the cylinder 9 I make each rod 56 in two transversely divided parts. The adjacent ends of these two parts of each rod are screwthreaded, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and the lower ends of the upper parts are screwed into threaded holes in respective turn buckles 60. The threaded ends of the lower parts of said rods 56 are passed loosely through suitable Unthreaded holes in the lower ends of the respective turn buckles 60, and a nut 61 is rst screwed upon said threaded ends, and after the insertion of the ends through the holes in the turn buckles 62 is placed, as shown, to prevent the withdrawal of the rod. The nuts 61 and 62 can be placed at any desired position on their rod.

When the cylinder 9 drops down about one quarter of an inch the inside lower end of the swivel 60 engages the nut 62 and begins to lift the plunger 53 opening the valve. These two parts, cylinder 9 and nut 62, are timed with the lift of the plunger so as to cause their valves to discharge the proper amount of steam or water to moisten the corresponding amount of grain passing out of cylinder 9. When the cylinder 9 is discharging a proper quantity of grain its further travel downward is prevented by the connection here shown. The turn buckle 60 engages with nut 61 in the upward travel of cylinder 9, which seats the plunger 53. The levers 54 are provided with depending rods 63 bearing weights 64 to regulate the action of the levers.

The outer end of the lever 8 is provided with a terminal plate 65, and supported in mames@ its path is a terminal 66. These ,terminals and 66 are connected in the usual man.- ner with a signal bell 67 by wires 68 and in the circuit is a battery 69 and a knife switch 70. When the cylinder 9 is sufficiently empty to cause the outer end of 'lever 8 to drop bringing the terminals 65 and- 66 together and closing the electric circuit through wire 68 the bell 67 will ring and will continue to ring until the circuit is broken by again weighting the cylinder. When it is desired to discontinue the use of the bell the circuit is broken by opening the switch 70.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness as regards details of construction and arrangement andy as being embodied in certain precise forms, l do not desire to be limited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed out rin the claims. On the contrary, 1 contemplate all proper changes in form, construction and arrangement, the omission of immaterial elements, and the substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

I claim:

1. A pivoted lever, a grain holding recep tacle suspended from one end of the lever, said receptacle having a discharge opening at its lower end, the outer end of the lever being weighted to counterbalance the recep tacle, a closure closing the discharge opening in the receptacle when the latter' is in r its highest position, means by the lowering of the receptacle from the closure Jfor opening its discharge, means for steaming and dampening the discharged grain, and means connected with the lever for operating said steaming and dampening means.

2. A pivoted lever, a grain holding receptacle suspended from one end of the lever,

said receptacle having a discharge opening at its lower end, the outer end of the lever being weighted to counterbalance the receptacle, a closure or closing the discharge opening in the receptacle when the latter is in its highest position, means by the lowering of the receptacle from the closure f or opening its discharge, a receiver for the discharged grain, steam and water pipes discharging into said receiver, valves to regulate the discharge through said pipes, and means connecting said valves with said pivoted lever to open and close the valves by the swinging movement of the lever'.

3. A pivoted lever, a grain holding receptacle supported by the lever, said receptacle having a discharge opening at its lower end, counter-weights at the opposite end of the lever from the receptacle, a closure for the discharge opening in the receptacle, means by the lowering of the n recepJ tacle for opening the discharge at its bottom, a receiver for the discharged grain,

means forsupplyinglsteam andwater to the receiver, and means connected with the lever for regulating the supply of steam and 'water-,to the receiver. l

i. A pivoted lever, a grain holding receptacle supported by said lever, said receptacle having a discharge opening at its lower end, counter-weights at the other end of the lever from the receptacle, a closure supported in a fixed position to close the discharge opening into the receptacle when the latter is in its highest position and to open the discharge to the bottom of the receptacle by the lowering of the receptacle, and means connected with and operated from said lever for steaming and dampening the discharged grain.

5. A pivoted lever, a grain holding receptacle suspended from one end of the lever,

said receptacle having a hopper-shaped bottom with a central discharge opening,

counter-weights at the other end of the lever, a closure for the discharge opening through the bottom of the receptacle, means for retaining a fixed position of the closure whereby the discharge Jfrom the receptacle may be opened by the lowering of the latter,

a receiver for the discharged grain, means for supplying steam and water tothe receiver, and means connecting ysaid steam and water supply means with said pivoted lever to regulate said supply yby the swinging movement oil' the lever. i

6. A pivoted lever, a grain holding receptacle suspended from one end oi" the lever, said receptacle having a discharge opening at its lower end, .a closure for the discharge opening in the receptacle, means for the lowering of the receptacle for opening the discharge through the bottom of the receptacle, a receiver for the discharged grain, steam and water pipes discharging in said receiver, valves to regulate the discharge through said pipes, and means connecting said valves with said pivoted .lever to open and close the valves by the swinging movement of the lever, said means comprising a two-part ro/.l having adjacent threaded ends, a turn-buckle screwed to one of said threaded ends, the other threaded end passing loosely through an opening in the opposite end of the turn-buclle, and spaced-apart nuts on said last threaded end, one on each side of the adjacent end of the turn-buckle.

7, A pivoted lever, a grain holding receptacle suspended from one end of the lever, means to vary the contents of the receptacle to move the lever on its pivot, an electric cirf closed by the lowering of the outer end of this 8th day of March, A. D. one thousand the lever occasioned by the emptying of the nine hundred and thirteen. receptacle, and means connected With and operated by said lever `,for steaming and LYMAN GOLD' [L'S'l 5 clampening the discharged grain. Witnesses:

In -Wtness whereof, have hereunto set J. M. MoRRoW, my hand and seal at Charlestown, Indiana, S. P. MoRRoW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

